The National Commission for Women (NCW) is set to probe the incident where a Dalit woman was allegedly assaulted, paraded naked, and tied to an electric pole in Vantamuri village, Belagavi district. NCW chief Rekha Sharma said on Friday (December 15) that a commission team would meet with the woman to investigate the matter and assess her well-being.
"A team of NCW is going to meet the victim and investigate the issue. After observing her well-being, they will ask her if she received any help. The Karnataka government didn't pay any attention to it. The Police have taken no action. It (the incident) was very inhuman. The Karnataka government should have taken strict action in such an incident and arrest should've been made immediately. Now, I think due to the pressure of the High Court, they have made a move but our team is going to investigate the aid and support provided to the victim," stated NCW chief Rekha Sharma told news agency ANI.
According to a PTI report, the incident occurred on December 11 in response to the elopement of the woman's son with a girl who was promised to another. Eight people have been arrested, and a search is ongoing for eight others implicated in the case. The Karnataka High Court has independently taken up the matter, the report said.
On Friday, JP Nadda, BJP national president, condemned the incident as "shameful," highlighting the recurrence of such "heinous crimes" against women since the Congress assumed power in the state. Nadda has formed a five-member fact-finding committee, comprising the party's women MPs, to visit the village and submit a detailed report.
"BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda strongly condemned the heinous incident of parading naked of a tribal woman in Belagavi, Karnataka. Such heinous crimes, especially against women, are happening at regular intervals ever since the Congress has come to power in Karnataka," said BJP national general secretary Arun Singh in a statement.
The incident underscores what the statement referred to as the "irresponsible behaviour" of Congress governments nationwide in addressing such crimes. BJP MPs from Karnataka protested in the Parliament complex on Friday, with former Karnataka chief minister Sadananda Gowda stating, "Law and order situation in Karnataka has fully collapsed. An SC lady, for no reason, was made naked and a procession was taken out. She was tied to an electric pole and beaten... Karnataka Congress government doesn’t give security to SC, ST ladies."
The five-member fact-finding committee comprises BJP MPs Aprajita Sarangi, Sunita Duggal, Locket Chatterjee, Ranjeeta Koli, and party national secretary Asha Lakra.